Tennis court marker



F. LORD.

TENNIS COURT MARKER.

LlCATlON FILED 01011.1915.

APP

Patented Aug. 8, 19M.

IN VE N TOR A TTOR/VEY FREDERICK \V. LORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TENNIS-COURT MARKER.

'Application filed-December 11, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Loan, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tennis-Court Markers, of which the following is a specification.

The device referred to in this specification a s'a tennis court market consists of a strip of metal or a plurality of metal strips each provided with means for securing them in position, and although I am aware that other devices of a generally similar nature have been produced in the past I have endeavored to correct some of the errors and objections found in these earlier devices. When a metallic, wooden or fibrous line marker is used for indicating the boundaries of a tennis court difficulty has in the past been experienced not only from the fact that the market could not be secured so that it would not project above the surface of the plane to which it was attached but also because such markers present a fiat, smooth surface, and when'a ball in play impinges upon the surface of the marker even to a great or less extent, the ball will not rebound as it does from the surface of the court but rather will have a tendency to slide along the surface of the marker many times to such an extent as .to entirely spoil the effect of the delivery or return. This sliding is exceedingly annoying and I am quite well convinced that in this objection can be found the reason why metallic or hard surface markers have not been generally adopted in the past. jections in themanner fully set forth herein.

The following is what I consider thebest means of carrying out this invention, and the accompanying drawings form a 'part of this specification, in Which Figure 1 is a perspective. view of a marker. ,Fig. 2 is a plan view of a marker of slightly different construction. Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the construction shown in Fig.2, the section being taken on the line 3- Fig. 4 is a plan view of a still further changed construction Fig. 5

is a section taken at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified device. i

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

I have previously stated that the object Specification of Letters Patent.

I endeavor to overcome these ob- Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 66,232.

of this invention was to provide a device the upper or exposed surface of which was roughened in a suitable manner so that this surface would present to a ball in play a contact or resistance very similar to that presented by the earth of a well rolled court.

In Fig. 1, I show a small portion of a marker. In constructing this device I prefer that it shall be made of a thin metallic strip such as galvanized sheet iron and along each edge of the strip I provide a plurality of downwardly projecting. teeth. The body portion of the device shown in Fig. 1 is indicated at 1 and the teeth 2 may be arranged in pairs and should be bent so as to project downwardly. The teeth are capable of independent deflection from their right angled relation to the strip or body portion 1 and to influence this independent action I may slightly bend the free ends of the teeth as indicated at 3.

Upon the upper or exposed portion 4 of the strip or body part I produce a roughened surface and the surface shown in Fig. 1 may be produced by applying to the surface a rather thick coat of paint into which is sifted sand or other material. I have found however that for continuous use this method of producing a roughened surface has the disadvantage that the paint and sand may be rubbed or scratched away 'lar projections which maybe oroduced by cross cutting the shaping dies by means of which my marker is formed. The exact area of these angular projections may be changed and in Fig. 4 I indicate at .6 that the number of such projections maybe reduced by increasing the area. of each projection.

In Fig. 4 I also showjthat decorative effects ma of the pebbl ed surface shownin Fig. 1 with the cross cut surfaceshownfin Fi .2and

' this may be an advantagewhere it is desired to mark the strips for identification.

thereby destroying the element upon which be obtained by thef'combining I fully appreciate that different players may desire that the contour of the markings or projections should be in a given direction that is they may believe that a cross same or a different radius but with their be placed in pivotal point in a diametrically opposite position. This would roduce a surface without direction and it is possible that this is the construction that will be universally adopted.

In relation to Fig. 1, I have shown teeth formed in pairs, in Fig. 3 it will be noted that the area of the teeth may be increased as shown at 7 and the free end of each tooth may be swaged or chisel pointed as indicated at 8, and in F ig. 5 I show that the ends of the teeth may be turned in a general direction as shown at 3 or they may be turned in opposite directions as. indicated at 9.

An advantage inherent in the device set forth and incident to the construction thereof is the added flexibility, it results not only from the fact thatthe teeth are cut upward to the plane of the body portion 1 but also because the cross cutting by means of which the projections are produced adds "to the flexibility in a manner well understood, therefore the device here shown may osition even though irregular spots are to e found in or on the surface I through which the device is to be attached.

It will appear obvious that modifications may be made within the scope of the ap pended claims without departing from the principle or sacrificing theadvantages of this invention.

Having carefully and fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tennis marker or the like comprising a flexible strip having a plurality of independently formed teeth and a plurality of projections from the upper side of said strip to roughen the surface and add to the flexiblity thereof.

2. A tennis marker comprising a metallic strip adapted to be attached to a court and having a roughened surface exposed approximately upon the plane of the court. 3. A tennis marker comprising a strip of semi-flexible material and means for attaching it to a court said strip having a roughened surface, in simulation of the surface of the court.

4. A device of the character described comprising a flexible metallic body memher having a plurality of cross cuttings adapted to produce a non-directional roughening thereof in combination with a plurality' of flexible teeth formed said body member as herein for the purpose set forth,

Signed at New York city, N. Y., this ninth day of Dec. 1915.

FREDERICK W. LORD.

specified and WVitnesses:

THOMAS C. CURTIS, ANASTASIA A. GRACE.

integral with i 

